Access to markets

• The North and Western Region is in a peripheral location and is isolated from the main Irish and EU markets, Donegal for example is 200 km from Dublin.
• There is a low population density (25 per km) and only 32% live in urban areas. This makes it a hard market for farmers to access. This reduces the incentive for farmers to produce.
• The cost of transporting goods to the markets are high as the region has a poor transport network.
• Galway is the only port in the region meaning goods must first be transported to the east before reaching EU markets. This adds to costs for farmers and reduces profits For perishable goods like meat and dairy this results in a shorter shelf life, thus reducing the value of the product.
• Galway is the only large urban area in the region which results in a limited local market for produce